THE CLEVELAND BROWNS ROOKIE QB, SHEDEUR SANDERS
In the movie “Jerry Maguire,” Cuba Gooding Jr. demanded at the top of his lungs for the world to: “Show me the money.”
According to espn.com: “College athletes weren’t always allowed to make money off their athletic ability. It wasn’t until 2021 that the NCAA changed rules to allow students to profit from their name, image and likeness—otherwise known as NIL.”
In less than 5 years, the powers-that-be have developed a specialized army and arsenal designed to attack and disarm the NIL concept for college athletes as if the NIL is an immigrant and a usurper of tradition, attempting to illegally cross a secure economic border designed to limit and/or eliminate any financial advantages for amateur athletes and allow the “haves” to operate with access to unlimited profit.
Before the NIL concept was created and sanctioned less than 5 years ago, the greed-mongers at the NCAA wielded the power to charge, try, convict and sentence any college athlete for accepting gifts of any kind from boosters or fans and possibly even mom and dad as long as they were performing as “amateur athletes.” Those who were exposed while doing so usually faced severe punishment such as suspension or expulsion, even while the NCAA simultaneously raked in dough like it were leaves being shed by 10,000 oak trees in the middle of autumn, in the state of Maine.
During the ensuing four years, many disgruntled head coaches in the college ranks have been staunchly resistant to change within the college ranks and elsewhere. Why? Well, simply because their reservoir of free labor was on the pathway to drying up.
JC Shelton recently posted an article on si.com titled: “Nick Saban makes his stance crystal clear on Donald Trump’s NIL executive order.” Mr. Shelton writes: “President Donald Trump’s executive order will benefit college athletes in the Name, Image and Likeness space, according to former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Saban, who was mentioned by Trump as a potential leader for the College Sports Commission back in May, addressed the newly signed executive order that seeks ‘balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits.'”
In the article, Saban said: “I think we need to make a decision here relative to do we want to have an education-based model, which I think the president made a huge step towards doing that, or do we want to have universities sponsor professional teams.”
Wait a minute. Saban had the nerve to say that “the newly signed executive order seeks balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits.”
No one mentions balancing resources when it comes to coaches being paid tens of millions of dollars. The NCAA and college coaches care as much about the educational value of these “student-athletes” no more than a Swiss bank cares about opening up an account with a client from Compton carrying a valid EBT card. The order also “prohibits third-party, pay-for-play payments to collegiate athletes.”
Are they stuck on stupid? Duh, that’s what the NIL concept is designed for: to “pay for play.”
Tommy Tuberville is the ex-Auburn University head-football-coach-turned-Senator as well as being one of the architects and disciples of the new and “reimagined Confederacy.” Tuberville was recently quoted in an article posted by Steven Corder on athlonsports.com titled: “U.S. Senator turns heads by wanting more control over NIL. As college athletes cash in on NIL deals, Senator Tommy Tuberville pushes for sweeping reforms—and a crackdown on player freedom and compensation.”
Mr. Corder writes, “But let’s be clear: Tuberville isn’t just concerned with fairness—he wants control. In an earlier radio interview, Tuberville spelled out what he envisions: ‘Everybody would be on the same level. We’ve got to come up with some rules for the transfer portal, possibly a contract for players.'”
Translation? Less money, less mobility, and more regulation on the athletes who are finally seeing their value recognized.
And he’s not alone. Tuberville cited conversations with Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, who called NIL and the transfer portal “an absolute disaster.” But who’s it really a disaster for? Players like Livvy Dunne, Bronny James and Shedeur Sanders raked in millions—earning what the market says they’re worth. One recently estimated Dunne’s NIL valuation at $3.9 million, while Sanders was close to $4.6 million.
The outcry from coaches and politicians sounds less like concern for college sports and more like panic over a shift in power dynamics. Tuberville’s push to restrict freedom and earning potential paints a clear picture: they want amateurism for the players and professionalism for everyone else.
Glory, glory hallelujah, the truth is not marching on. However, let’s be perfectly clear. The truth has fled from the building. Tuberville has shucked and jived and jived and freely shucked our young athletes and their parents as if they were ears of corn at harvest time, not just for days, but for months, years and decades with little or no resistance. However, as soon as some of these athletes were economically emancipated, Tommy Tuberville and others like him abandoned their false “educational principles” and dove into the “sea of politics” to rescue and place a lifejacket around the drowning “play for no pay” mandate. Folks are again seeking to restore and place the generational yoke of servitude around the shoulders of the “play for no pay” athletes. Many of those athletes will have bleak or no futures after their college careers have ended.
The late Bill Withers composed a song about a girlfriend whose love was so pleasurable, he didn’t even mind being taken advantage of and being used by her. Withers sang, “Yes, I wanna spread the news, that if it feels this good gettin’ used. Oh, you just keep on usin’ me, until you use me up.”
Tommy Tuberville, Nick Saban and their cronies have altered the lyrics ever so slightly. Their version of the song goes something like this. “We’re gonna spread the news, that it’s good being able to use. We’re gonna keep on using you. Until we use you up.”
The only way parents and their athletic children can be used is if they continue to allow themselves to be.